Device for covering and protecting charged rails.



PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

G. EGENOLP.

DEVICE FOR GOVERING AND PROTECTING CHARGED RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1904.

INVENTUR Qwiawfgeno ATTORNEY S m x 20 A Q .2

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UNITED STATES PATENT orr ron.

GUSTAVE EGENOLF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.catented May 8, 1906.

Application filed November 25,1904. Serial No. 234,274.

To all whom) it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs'rAvE EGENOLF, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Covering and Protecting Charged Rails, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to prevent accidental contact with a charged rail, as also to protect the same from foreign matter, such as ice or other substance which might interfere with its function.

This invention can be applied without requiring much change in'the present structure and is set forth in the following specification and claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional end elevation of a rail with this invention applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

In the drawings is shown a rail 1", known as a charged rail or so-called third-rai provided with suitable sp acing-blocks. These rails are generally mounted on insulators or on blocks 8 of suitable material and held in place by well-known means, such as spikes or bolts or a suitable combination of fastening means.

In the ordinary construction of railroads, elevated roads, and the like a guard t is placed alongside the rails or track. Secured to such a guard is shown a bracket k. Said brackets carry arms or strips '8, and a board or shield j is carried by the arms supported by said brackets. This shield j lies under neath and extends longitudinally of the charged rail and prevents contact with such rail from underneath, as when workmen are employed at the structure, as in painting or other matters. This shield or board being suitably extended between the rail-supports will preventor to agreat extent overcome the danger of accidental contact with the charged rail supported over the shield. On the usual rail-guard t is shown a lateral guard or strip g, which tends to overcome danger of accidental contact from one side. 'A lateral guard'h at the opposite side also increases the safety. This lateral guard his secured to the underlying shield.

19 to links or slides f,

the charged rail.

A cover a. is shown hinged to a lateral guard. A hinge c of usual cast-iron struc- I ture will answer. This cover can be formed by wooden sections joined by tongue and groove and secured to the hinge. A flange d acts as a stop to prevent the cover when closed from falling below the horizontal or onto the rail. This cover suitably overhanging the rail allows the shoe to contact or come to the rail from the side. The shoe or contact-arm e is secured by clamping portion connected to the carbody and allowing the shoe to drop or rest on the charged rail or conductor. The filling or leveling strips m and 0 can be added to the lateral guard h, if required, to bring the cover to the correct height or overhang as regards The hinges 0 can be suitably secured and firmly held in place by the bolts '17.. The cover a and other parts, as strips h and 'i, can be made of wood or other suitable material. To avoid danger from sparks, it may be considered well to suitably fireproof or insulate certain parts by any suitable fireproofing or insulating process.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A charged rail with supports therefor, a board or shield under the rail, a bracket for supporting the shield, a strip made to rise from the shield, and a cover hinged to the strip and made to overhangthe rail when closed.

2. A railroad structure comprising a railguard, a bracket secured to the rail-guard, a shield carried by the bracket, a charged rail supported over the shield, a lateral guard for the char ed rail secured to the first-named rail-guard, a lateral guard for the opposite side of the charged rail and secured to the underlying shield and a cover hinged to a lateral guard and made to overhang the charged rail.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GUSTAVE EGENOLF.

Witnesses GEORGE HULsBERe, EDWARD WIESNEB. 

